Equipment Needed to Start a YouTube Channel

You have explored YouTube. You may watch it daily and share funny videos of cats dressed up like dogs. Or perhaps you made some low-key uploads. These can be holiday videos or images to share with family and friends.
But it is now possible to start your own YouTube channel with your phone, tablet, or PC. But what else do you need? We here will be discussing the best YouTube equipment for beginners and the equipment needed to start a YouTube Channel. Make sure you read it till the end.

You need a camera

Yes, you already knew this. The camera is one of the essential youtube recording equipment. Which camera should you use though? Could it be the laptop webcam? Maybe your smartphone or perhaps the old camcorder has a sync cable to your PC. It should either record a video of reasonable quality (after 2015, just under 720p isn’t a good impression).

While you could splash on a brand new dedicated video camera or DSLR, this would be unwise. Starting a new business like a YouTube channel should be achieved at the lowest possible cost. You can upgrade to high-quality hardware once you have found your place online.
For the chance that you’re willing to put some money into this project, a DSLR is the right choice. Finding a good camera for your budget is the most important thing to do here. Also, don’t be limited by the price. There is a massive market in used cameras and lenses that you can call. If your channel becomes a vlog, find some best vlogging cameras.

You need a tripod

We all know that a camera needs a tripod to achieve the best results. Fortunately, these don’t have to cost too much. In the meantime, when recording with your smartphone or another compact device, you may prefer to use an ultraportable tripod suitable for smaller cameras.

But do you really need a tripod?
Many YouTubers – if they don’t use a webcam with their small stand or enclosure – pile up some books. It is not ideal for placing a camera on other household items, but it can serve its purpose when you start.
While buying a full camera and tripod setup, those planning the best equipment for YouTube, look for something reasonably substantial. It should not be lighter than your camera; otherwise, the clutch will be top-heavy, leading to accidents.

You need a good microphone

Finding the best microphone for the YouTube channel can be tricky. In short, microphones are not cheap. Funnily enough, they are not that common around the house. Starting a YouTube channel without a microphone means using the built-in microphone on your smartphone, tablet, webcam, and video camera. That can work out, or it may not. Your only option is to try the device and see how your voice sounds.

If you want to buy a microphone, consider where you want to mount it. Here is the overview of microphones and how they are installed:

Camera mounted:
Camera mounted microphone is used to record your voice and everything behind you.
On your desktop:
It usually records you, as long as it’s at the right angle.
Clipped to your tie:
Using this microphone, most of the recorded audio is just your voice.

You may need filming lights

This is for those who are planning for the vlog channel. Filming lights for YouTube vlogging are essential. With good light, you can improve the quality of your vlogs. Both indoors and outdoors, strike a balance between ample light and overexposure. When you record movies indoors, a regular lamp can already help. But studio lighting is also a common tool.

If you want to see and influence your conceived lighting arrangement immediately, you can use continuous lighting. These are also called studio lamps. The significant advantage of this form of lighting is that you immediately see any adjustments you make. You immediately see what happens to the light and the shadows. The studio lamps’ disadvantage is that your studio will quickly become very warm when they are continuously on. A solution to this is a cooled lamp or LED tube.

You may need a video game capture solution

This is a niche option now, but if you plan to build a YouTube channel on video game walkthroughs or reviews, you probably need to capture your exploits in the games. You have three choices:

1 – Point your camera at the monitor/TV

Unfortunately, this is not a great option, and your gaming channel will not be taken seriously.

2 – Stick with Android gaming

Modern Android devices compatible with Play Games can record your video game exploits with your face and comment. These can then be immediately uploaded to YouTube.

3 – Video capture device

Older consoles require you to use a video capture device to record or stream footage. These are usually between the HDMI cable and the monitor.
Fortunately, the current generation of computer platforms and consoles makes a separate video capture device for your games meaningless. Windows 10 and Xbox One can record native video games. You can use a screen recorder to create tutorials, document bugs for troubleshooting, or unwanted activities to follow your desktop during your absence.

You may need a green/blue screen for chroma key

Do you want to give the impression of a space-like environment for your vlog? Or do you just want to cover up the fact that your YouTube channel is being recorded alongside your mom and dad’s bins? The answer could be a green or blue screen. Unfortunately, these can be expensive so that a cheaper solution may be needed

So consider tracing old sheets or curtains or putting a card in a suitable green shade. In most cases, you won’t need anything like this, but it can be helpful.

You need video and audio editing tools

In addition to physical hardware, you need some software to start your YouTube channel. When reviewing equipment needed to start a YouTube channel this an option that you can wait to purchase, however, it will dramatically increase the quality of the videos and save you time from having to rerecord.

The most obvious is a video editor. There are so many editing tools available, both for Windows and Linux and macOS. However, you may not even need a third-party tool. YouTube itself has a great video editor built-in, which you should check out.
There is yet another type of software you may need: an audio editor. While your video editor may have the necessary cleanup tools built-in, this is not a feature that you will find in all video editing suites. Specific software may be used to clean up audio, remove ambient noise, and give your recordings a much more professional l

Still reading? Go launch your YouTube channel!

You should now know the equipment needed to start a YouTube channel is already in your possession or otherwise wholly affordable. It’s time to move: hit record, create your new video, and upload it to YouTube.